Hunter Biden abandons lawsuit against IRS whistleblowers

In September 2023, Hunter Biden filed a lawsuit against two IRS whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. His legal action claimed that the whistleblowers had unfairly disclosed his tax information, which he believed was intended to embarrass him and target him in the media. However, on a recent Wednesday, Biden's attorneys submitted a motion to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning he cannot re-file it in the future. This led the whistleblowers to assert that the lawsuit was merely an attempt to intimidate them following their testimony before Congress regarding the allegations of preferential treatment in Biden's tax investigation. They expressed their surprise at Biden's decision to withdraw, emphasizing that they wanted the opportunity to clear their names in court. As he dropped the case, Biden's attorneys also indicated that he was relinquishing his claims against the two agents without receiving any form of recompense, asserting that the lawsuit lacked meaningful basis from the start and was fueled by retaliation against the whistleblowers. Furthermore, Hunter Biden has been embroiled in ongoing legal challenges, including a plea deal related to felony tax charges and a subsequent pardon he received from his father, former President Joe Biden. Hunter's tax liabilities amounted to around $1.4 million between the years of 2016 and 2019, which he later repaid before receiving clemency. The dropping of this lawsuit is a significant move in the context of Biden's ongoing legal battles and might serve to alleviate some public scrutiny as he continues to face various allegations and legal challenges.